Correspondence

The Timms Review: Co-Chair Update, February 2026

Updated 5 February 2026

Co-chair update, February 2026

Dear all,

As co-chairs of the Timms Review of Personal Independence Payment (PIP), we are writing again to share an update on the Review’s progress and to set out what happens next. 

From the outset, the Review has been guided by a clear set of principles: fairness, respect, transparency, and the central role of lived experience. We are committed to a Review that is shaped with disabled people, and is not simply about them, because policy works best when it is built alongside those most impacted by it. 

What we have done so far 

One of our first priorities was to establish a steering group that could bring together lived experience, professional expertise, and a diversity of perspectives. 

We received over 340 high-quality applications to join the steering group. After careful consideration against the published criteria, we have appointed 12 members to the group. We were very impressed with the quality of applications received, and with the breadth of skills and experiences brought by candidates. 

Together, the steering group members bring experience across areas including welfare policy, accessibility, advocacy, co-production, governance, and leadership within Disabled People’s Organisations (DPOs). Almost all members have lived experience of disability or long-term health conditions, including members with direct experience of working within DPOs. This group is diverse in terms of various characteristics, including geography, ethnicity, and sexuality. 

A full list of members, along with short biographies, is included at the end of this letter. 

We have always been clear that no single group can represent the full range of experiences of disability. That is why the steering group will not work in isolation, but as part of a wider programme of engagement designed to ensure that many more voices are heard as the Review progresses. 

How we are delivering co-production 

This Review will be the first time that co-production has been done on this scale by the UK government, although there are many examples in local and devolved contexts. We know from disabled people, DPOs, and long-standing co-production practice that meaningful involvement requires time, care, accessibility, and the right support.

Following a competitive tender process, we have appointed The Public Service Consultants (PSC) to support the delivery of co-production for the Review, working in partnership with WECIL (West of England Centre for Inclusive Living), a DPO.

This consortium was selected because of their strong track record in inclusive engagement and co-design, and their experience of working directly with disabled people, DPOs, and government. Their role is to support us to ensure that co-production is embedded throughout the Review and shaped by disability-led design. The PSC/WECIL partnership’s commitment to disability accessibility and inclusion at every stage of the process, strategies for meaningful engagement with stakeholders nationally, and skills and experience working with disabled people give us confidence in their delivery.

The PSC and WECIL will work alongside us as co-chairs, the steering group, and the Department for Work and Pensions to support a co-production approach that is accessible, transparent, and grounded in disabled people’s voices.

What happens next 

The work of the steering group is already underway. Following an informal introductory call and induction session in January 2026, the next few weeks will include: 

• the first formal steering group meetings

• the beginning of detailed co-production and policy work in February

• preparation for a wider, fully accessible programme of engagement beyond the steering group, starting in the spring 

We are committed to keeping disabled people, disability organisations, and other stakeholders informed about the Review’s progress. These updates are part of that commitment, and we will continue to share information openly as work develops. 

Thank you for your continued engagement with the Review. Your interest, challenge, and participation are essential to ensuring that this work is fair, credible, and rooted in lived experience.

Yours sincerely,

Dr Clenton Farquharson CBE
Sharon Brennan
Rt Hon. Sir Stephen Timms MP
Co-chairs of the Timms Review

About the steering group 

Dr Mark Brookes MBE is currently the Advocacy Lead for Dimensions UK. He has more than 30 years’ experience in publicly advocating for people with learning disabilities and autism and campaigning against hate crime. Mark works with the Churchill Foundation, the Equality and Human Rights Commission, the NHS Advisory Board, the Crown Prosecution Service, the Home Office, and UK Police forces.

George Fielding BEM is a disability rights advocate who has worked nationally across many public services, with operational expertise in youth work, social care, and community capacity building. He has previously co-founded two CQC-regulated social care providers whilst initiating and developing three youth-led social movements, working to develop intergenerational best practice in social change. He is non-executive advisor to three community interest companies which specialise in co-production.

Tara Flood is a long-time disability rights activist, having worked at a local, national and international level. She is currently Head of Co-production at the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. She champions the Social Model of Disability, working with residents to drive policy change and the redesign and delivery of services at a local level.

Mark Fosbrook is a retired Paralympic athlete who brings his own lived experience, and constantly draws on knowledge from others through a person-centred, values-led mindset. As Disability Inclusion Manager at West Midlands Combined Authority, he is driven by advocating for empowering the voices of others, championing change in Transport, Housing, Employment, Health and Social Care.

Ben Geiger is a Professor at King’s College London, and brings academic expertise as well as experience in policy development (including from within the Department for Work and Pensions) and co-production. He currently leads the Welfare Experiences project (comparing how it feels to claim benefits in five countries), and previously co-led the major rapid response study of benefits during COVID-19.

Katrina Gilman is a passionate advocate for disability equality, drawing on lived experience of multiple disabilities and her role as a carer. After 25 years in policing, she now works to break down barriers and champion fairness, accessibility, and opportunity—driving change that empowers disabled people to thrive.

Jean-André Prager has an extensive policy background in PIP and broader disability issues. He was previously the Prime Minister’s Special Adviser covering the Department for Work and Pensions and is currently a Senior Fellow at Policy Exchange and a Director at Flint Global.

Dr Lucy Reynolds is a social entrepreneur, public speaker and disability rights advocate. Founder of We Are All Disabled CIC and Chair of Disability North, she champions an Affirmative approach to disability, using lived experience and academic research to challenge perceptions and drive inclusive cultural change.

Dr Felix Shi brings lived experience as a disabled academic, alongside comparative insights into disability policy across multiple national contexts. As a former board member of Disability Wales and a current member of the Arfon Access Group, Felix works to connect policymakers with grassroots DPOs in Wales.

Dr Dharshana Sridhar is Head of Public Affairs at the Spinal Injuries Association, representing the voices of people with spinal cord injuries nationally. With lived experience as a long-term carer and extensive UK government and international policy expertise, she works to shape fair social security policy and champion the rights, dignity and independence of disabled people and marginalised communities.

Phil Stevens is Chief Executive of Disability Action Haringey and Chair of the Board of Trustees of Disability Action in Islington. He is a disabled leader with extensive experience in user-led advocacy, policy, and strategic development, working to advance rights, access, and inclusion for D/deaf and inclusive events for disabled people across London. 

Leila Talmadge is an autistic and dyslexic project manager and designer. As the former Chair of the Board of Trustees at Daytrippers charity, which provides inclusive events for disabled young people in the UK, and former Director of Autistic Knowledge Development in Scotland, she brings expertise in creating inclusive spaces.